Mélancolie Urbaine (Hypnotic Dirge Records)

 “Mélancolie Urbaine” is the first full length of this French one man project; before this brand new album (released in December 2010), the band released a couple of demos in 2005 and 2006 respectively, apparently these demos passed quite unadvertised since the first time I heard about Netra was when I was contacted by Skog (the man behind Hypnotic Dirge Records)… and I’m glad he did it!. The band presents at this album an uncommon but solid mix of Trip-Hop and Black Metal; the whole music is based in electronic beats, soft synthetic ambiances, Post-Rock-like structures and some crude Black Metal elements, reminding me to the most synthetic passages of early Vinterriket’s albums at moments, but unlike the German project, Netra puts a greater emphasis in the electronic elements and slow tempos. A quite particular use of keyboard background melodies also contributes with some early Gothic-Rock feeling, while the use of several movie-like samples along this record also adds an intense theatrical dimension to this yet multidimensional work. Netra (the mastermind behind this project) performs here a really remarkable vocal work, which ranges from a wide variety of clean styled vocals, whispered voices to ripping as hell Black Metal shrieks, delivering one of the most intense and diverse elements of the whole album. Some Black Metal styled hypnotic riffing can be heard during the entire disc, but always as a background element, never reaching the strident protagonism we are used to hear at standard Black Metal compositions. “Mélancolie Urbaine” is one of the most innovative Black Metal releases I’ve heard in a while; its accurate mix of diverse and uncommon styles is such majestic and unique that I think neither a Black Metal fan nor a Dark Electronic diehard could complain about this record… If you are into the most avantgardish side of the Black Metal audience or into the most obscure side of the Dark Electronic movement, you should definitely take a listen to this album. (AP)